Creativity over Cost vs. Perfection before Purchase
Since the birth of the fashion blog, the relentless pace which a blogger had to churn out new content created an aura of a limitless wardrobe with a deep bank account to support it. Parlaying a variety of styles, the Anna Dello Russos of the blogosphere were not bound to a specific look but preached the democratization of fashion and creativity not limited by cost.
However, mindless consumption without thought of the negative social and ecological impact on the world created a backlash of minimalist bloggers. Focusing on the capsule wardrobe, authentically consistent style and the insistence of perfection before any purchase, they encourage their readers to think twice before walking into Zara.
Featured Minimalist Blogs:
Dead Fleurette
Les Anti Modernes
Assembled Hazardly
Out of the Bag
Marks of the Minimalist Style Tribe
Often similar in layout and content structure, the minimalist blog possesses a few trademarks including:
- Wardrobe building
With a heavy stress on mixing and matching, the content is often text heavy (a big welcome and refresher if you’re an avid reader) and show off already-featured garments in heavy rotation. While outfit posts are relatively rare compared to most self-style bloggers, the photos are characterized by headless/anonymous shots to stress on the garments and not on the blogger his or herself.
- Quality over Quantity
The Minimalist blogger subscribes to the philosophy that less is more. Putting herself on a diet from fast fashion and synthetic fabrics, the Minimalist blogger rejects the concept of trend buying in favor of buying pieces that will increase cost-per-use (CPU) and longevity.
- Consistent Style through a Capsule Wardrobe
The signature minimalist look has a strong root in the French 5 Piece Wardrobe. The look is rather unisex characterized by Breton stripe tops, dark rinse jeans, Isabel Marant boots, mannish coats, boxy dress shirts and white T-shirts.
- Wish Lists
Usually executed in a collage, Polyvore format, the minimalist blogger often posts a variation of a single sweater or boot focusing on the details and cut of the garment. This facilitates an avid discussion of their reader’s personal experiences with the longevity and quality of the piece.
- Social Issues
Often going beyond images, the Minimalists share articles on the perfect wardrobe and discuss about issues revolving around consumption habits and weighs in on the sustainable and moral facets of our individual purchasing power.
Trend or True Style?
While many readers may welcome a polar opposite viewpoint on how to shop, there is the danger of people using it as an excuse to chuck out half their closet only replace it with stripes and Isabel Marant dicker boots. Conformity without customizing the philosophy of minimalism to an individual’s unique taste will only result in a closet without character.
How to Derive the Minimalist Philosophy into your Closet:
1. Simply stop buying for a month. This will allow you to see what you naturally deviate to and feel most comfortable wearing instead of that new item you just bought. This is your true style that you should flesh out.
2. Create a capsule wardrobe of items you love to wear the most and study the cut and colors that you find most flattering for your body type and taste.
3. Instead of immediately emptying out your closet and donating it, find new ways to wear pieces you forgot about to up your CPU.
4. Trust your creativity to create new outfits out of old garments and not on your power to sniff out a good sale or thrift item. You have enough clothes.
5. Lastly find pieces that you want to put into your foundation wardrobe seeking variations of those desired items at different price points and brands that offer quality. Calculate how much you spend a month on clothes to figure out how to obtain those pieces. The idea is to avoid impulse buying, refining your personal style and spending more on quality while purchasing less clothes.
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by Sam Wong
Illustration via Sam is Home
